Lucas Funeral Homes reaches the next level with more effective preneed

With fourteen locations and a legacy stretching back 160 years, Lucas Funeral Homes has mastered the art of caring for families. In large part this is due to their staff. Each of the more than 90 full- and part-timers receives extensive training—in fact, owner Jimmy Lucas will soon start Lucas Academy, where each of his co-workers will learn a consistent standard of care.

Yet preneed presented a challenge. “We were struggling to take it to that next level,” Jimmy says. The funeral home expected their program could reach more families, but the investment in lead generation, not to mention the follow-ups, was daunting.

We were struggling to take it to that next level Jimmy Lucas Lucas Funeral Homes

So when Jimmy met with Precoa, his interest was piqued. The proposed increase in preneed volume impressed him, but he was also struck by their values. As he often says about recruiting new staff, you can teach people anything except empathy and compassion.

How Precoa Helped

Once the partnership with Precoa got going, the Funeral Planning Center’s support became vital. They were soon reaching more families through preneed than ever before, and every lead source was more effcient. “Theirs wasn’t a four cylinder approach,” Jimmy says. “It was the full V8.”

Theirs wasn't a four cylinder approach....it was the full V8. Jimmy Lucas Lucas Funeral Homes

Preneed volume doubled, but Jimmy saw more meaningful benefits as well. For one, advance funeral planners now had complete control over their schedules. No longer did they have to find the extra time to conduct every follow-up. Work-life balance improved, resulting in a better quality of life, and they could now focus on doing what they loved best—meeting with families who want to preplan.

Complete Support

When it comes down to it, Jimmy says Precoa feels like another piece of the family business. “I’m looking forward to serving as many families as we can together,” he says. “We want to keep moving forward, and Precoa has the wherewithal to walk alongside us. They have the ability to go bigger — not just anybody can do that.”

Precoa feels like another piece of the family business. Jimmy Lucas Lucas Funeral Homes